


First Meeting

by exohousewarming, naomi24



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-09 01:11:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12265872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exohousewarming/pseuds/exohousewarming, https://archiveofourown.org/users/naomi24/pseuds/naomi24
Summary: Prompt number:551Side Pairings (if any):Jongdae / YixingWarnings:n/aSummary:Kyungsoo spent most of his life running away from his fate, thinking he can escape it, but in the end, he wanted it more than anything else.





	First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> **Author Note:** I don't know if this story flows well, but I hope that you enjoy reading it.  
>  Thank you to the mods for their patience and help during the fest.  
> A bigger thank you to Alexa for always putting up with me and betaing this fic.

His eyes are beautiful. They're brown and green, and he has always loved his eyes. He thinks about his soulmate, who'd have the same eyes, and he longs to finally meet him.

 

His dad used to tell him stories of people randomly meeting their soulmates in the street, in the classroom, or even in that random coffeehouse where you stopped by to use the bathroom. Luhan would think about these unrealistic situations, and he’d put too much hope into this dream.

 

It's not his fault entirely; his parents have always been hopeless romantics, giving him imaginary situations. He began to believe that his soulmate is the missing piece, his other half. He even believed that his soulmate will be similar to him, that there's no such thing as flaws.

 

His beliefs got stronger over the years, as his best friends testified about their own soulmates. Yes, they're perfect for them, and Luhan couldn't wait any longer, but he knew he had to be patient so he kept waiting.

 

When he finally graduated from school, he decided to move out and start living on his own. He went to another city, started to look for an apartment, and managed to find a decent job.

 

He finally found a place. It was small, but the rent was good and it was close to a few groceries stores, so he signed the one year lease. He embraced the new changes, and he couldn't _wait_ to have that first meeting with his soulmate.

 

A few months passes, and he's starting to feel restless. He hears Yixing, his oldest friend, getting engaged and their marriage is going to be next year. Then, even the unlucky Yifan found his soulmate while standing in a crowded train. The younger just _had_ to pick the same dirty pole as his soulmate, and their hands brush, causing both to stare at each other’s eyes. Luhan has always pouted over that story. Why can't _he_ have that kind of first meeting?

 

He can only try to keep his patience as he decides to be more proactive about this. He found out a few weeks ago about this park called Dorado. Single people go there in hopes of finding their soulmates. It may not be Luhan’s first choice of finding a soulmate, but he will try his hardest.

 

The first try is a complete fail as Luhan finds himself meeting with random guys who'd have the same kind of eyes, but none of them were his soulmates. He feels devastated, enough to go to the nearest bar and drink a lot of alcohol to numb the pain in his heart.

 

Despite the first failed attempt, Luhan doesn't want to give up. He goes to that park every weekend with the same hope, but he _still_ hasn't found his soulmate. He should feel bitter about his fate, but he's okay for now. He's not grumpy either when he sees a pair of soulmates meeting for the first time. He smiles at them, and he wonders if his first meeting will be as cute.

 

***

 

Kyungsoo doesn't believe in any of this soulmate nonsense. Sure, he was one of those believers when he was _five_ , but after his parents’ divorce, he thinks that it's all part of the conspiracy. He thinks it's just a way for the government to keep track of everyone, which is why Kyungsoo has been lying about his status since he was twenty.

 

He wears a contact lense over his brown eye, so both of his eyes are green. Then he tells people that yes, he _did_ meet his soulmate, but unfortunately, his soulmate died soon after their first meeting in a car crash accident. People don't question the truth whenever he tells this story. They offer condolences, and Kyungsoo accepts it with a fake smile.

 

It's been two years since he has made up this story, and his cover has always worked. Then today, the unexpected happened.

 

Kyungsoo rarely takes the route with Dorado Park on the way home, but lately, there was construction going on. He didn't want to risk an untimely death because of falling objects, so he was forced to go through the park as an alternative.

 

He knew what the park was famous for and he _despises_ what these gullible people do, but he has _no_ time to judge them with unimpressed glares. He has to cook dinner for his parents, who will be coming to visit soon and he's running out of time.

 

Just as he was about to exit the park, he collides against someone. They fall into the ground, and groaning against the pain.

 

“Ah crap, I'm _so_ sorry,” the stranger says, being the first to stand up.

 

Kyungsoo feels anger building up inside of him as he feels a bruise on his hip. He looks up from the ground to give this stranger a piece of his mind. He has a long speech ready, about to start off with _Watch where you're going, fucker_.

 

But then, he sees them, the beautiful eyes of green and brown, and slowly, the green eye is turning into brown. For once in his life, Kyungsoo is speechless, and there's a strange sensation in his body, one that tells him that this bumbling idiot is his soulmate.

 

He's speechless and he doesn't know what to say, so he just gapes at this tall guy, who looks more pretty than handsome. He doesn't know what he did in his previous lives to deserve a very good-looking soulmate

 

“Are you alright? Should I call 911?” the stranger asks, cutting off Kyungsoo's train of thoughts.

 

Kyungsoo wanted to reply intelligently and not dumbly like _all_ the other gullible people in the park. Yet, all he can mutter is _Um_ , just like a bumbling teenage girl.

 

His soulmate looks more worried than anything else as he helps Kyungsoo to his feet. He brushes off the dirt off Kyungsoo's jeans and he helps take the groceries from the ground, before handing them back to Kyungsoo.

 

“I'm really sorry. You're okay right? You haven't said anything since the fall,” the tall stranger asks worriedly.

 

“Yes, I'm… fine,” the shorter is finally able to mutter.

 

“Great!” the taller exclaims with a wide smile. If it was anyone else, Kyungsoo would cringe over the hyper greeting, but he's still hypnotized by how _pretty_ his soulmate is.

 

“Anyway, I better get going. I wouldn't want my soulmate to wait for me,” the taller jokes lamely. “Have a good weekend!”

 

The shorter watches as his soulmate runs away, with a bounce in his steps. It's not until later on that Kyungsoo _realizes_ on what the taller has said.

 

At that time, Luhan didn't know it, but he had met his soulmate, and he would have known if Kyungsoo wasn't wearing his eye contact. Now, they're in a predicament since neither knew the other’s name, or where the other lives.

 

How will fate bring them together again?

 

***

 

Luhan _should_ be furious. In fact, Luhan have the right to report this to the government, and they'd help him find his soulmate. After all, there are many cases of people who’d meet in a large area, and their eyes would change without that person knowing. Their soulmate doesn't _have_ to be two feet in front of them for their eyes to change. They could be five feet apart, as long as they can see the eye colors.

 

The government decided to create a program for these people, and they'd record the date and the area. Then these people can call in anytime and see if anyone else has reported the same thing.

 

Luhan could have done that, but for some reason, he didn't want to. You see, Luhan is the type of person that _strongly_ believes in fate and destiny, so he believes that they'll meet again one day. He doesn't need the government’s help or even one of those apps that help track down a person’s soulmate. He wanted their second meeting to be as spontaneous as their first.

 

He still remembers the wide eyes and the pretty plump cheeks when he collided against his soulmate. He sighs dreamily as he imagines meeting the guy again one day. It'll happen, and he _believes_ that it will happen.

 

For now, he passes by the same area where they collided, hoping that his soulmate will do the same. Every weekend he does this, and he doesn't feel dejected when he hasn't found his soulmate again.

 

He's okay with it because he _now_ knows that he's no longer alone. His soulmate is looking for him, and so will Luhan.

 

***

 

Kyungsoo likes to believe that he hasn't changed. He likes to say that his meeting with his soulmate hasn't changed him. Yet, he knows he's lying to himself whenever he catches himself staring at the park, wondering if his soulmate is looking for him.

 

He still hates the idea that he's bounded to some guy, and he never likes the idea of sharing his stuff with someone else. He especially _hates_ it when people use his frying pans and do _not_ scrub it right away. He bets that his soulmate will be _this_ annoying.

 

His friends are the ones who don't believe him though. After prying out the real truth from him, they decide that Kyungsoo is in denial and that he's three steps away from acceptance. The shorter glares at them for their _stupid_ conclusion, and he threatens that he'd take away his cooking as revenge. But they all know that Kyungsoo _lives_ on their exaggerated compliments.

 

It's a Saturday afternoon when the shorter feels restless, as if his mind and body are telling him to go somewhere. He knows that this is all a trick so that he'd be forced to meet his soulmate, so he ignores the craving and stubbornly sits down on the sofa, clutching his jeans.

 

Then, once he feels a little bit calm, Jongdae goes to him with a comforting smile, as if _that_ would help. He glares at Jongdae for being insufferable since the beginning, and the fact that the elder _suddenly_ got engaged and had to move away.

 

 _Bastards, all of them_ \-- Kyungsoo reminds himself.

 

“It's not that bad,” Jongdae reminds him again. “Once you let fate decide your life, you'll feel a lot happier and less moodier.”

 

Kyungsoo doesn't give him a response, simply looking away stubbornly. He refuses to believe that any of this is true.

 

“Anyway, I'm still moving out next week. So, have you decided to keep the apartment and find a new roommate, or do you want to find another place?”

 

To be honest, a few weeks ago, Kyungsoo would have kept the apartment and would happily live alone forever. Except now, his stupid soulmate has given him emotions and he doesn't know what to do with them. There's an internal struggle that tells him to go to the park, _or_ to remain faithful to his years of beliefs. In summary, he hasn’t chosen what he wants for his life.

 

Jongdae takes the silence as an indecisive answer. He hums a familiar tune as he goes back to his room to finish packing. He hopes that the kid would be alright when he's gone. Kyungsoo may have been just a roommate in the beginning, but now he'll miss him once he's gone.

 

***

 

If there's one thing that Kyungsoo can fall back on, it’s his job. Despite his rooted hatred towards the government, he has always wanted to be the boss of someone, to make them tremble out of fear. At first, he thought of becoming a police (except he's too short) or a lawyer (he doesn't want to defend idiots though), and in the end, he decides to become the worse of them all, a teacher.

 

What better way to instill fear by threatening the class with failed grades and pop quizzes. He grins maniacally every day as he walks to the school building, and his students seem to scatter whenever they see him.

 

He teaches English and math to them, as well as the occasional geography class. Sometimes, when he's feeling nice, he gives them two pages of homework instead of five, and no quiz for the day.

 

Today has been a frustrating day as Kyungsoo feels his emotions go from high to low. He's beginning to think that this is the side effect of being too far away from his soulmate. After all, it's already a month since they've met, and Kyungsoo has resisted the urge to go through that park, and takes the long way to go home.

 

Sometimes, he feels bad for avoiding his soulmate. He thinks about being stuck to some guy who's a hopeless romantic, and he doesn't seem to _mind_ that type of person anymore. He cringes at the fact that his personality is becoming different and that he’s losing more control of his life.

 

Therefore, he takes out his frustration on his innocent students, and makes them work harder than before. He gives out pop quizzes weekly, claiming it's beneficial, and he starts telling them that the exam will be _much_ harder if they don't stop slacking off. There's so much stress inside that classroom that even the clueless principal is starting to wonder if everything is okay.

 

When Friday finally comes, Kyungsoo feels exhausted from the constant turmoil, that he's too tired to notice three things when he enters his apartment. There are no boxes in his living room, there is an extra pair of shoes in the doorway, and there's a delicious smell coming from the kitchen, despite the fact that Jongdae has been banned from the kitchen.

 

He only notices these three things once he sees the stranger in the living room. He gapes his mouth, wondering if he entered the right apartment. He doesn't remember owning a rabbit either as he notices the rabbit in the stranger's lap.

 

“Hi!” the stranger greets him cheerfully. “Nice to meet you! I'm Jongdae's fiancée, Yixing. Jongdae has told me so much about you.”

 

“Um, okay,” Kyungsoo can only say.

 

“Wow, you're _exactly_ as Jongdae described you to be,” Yixing notes in amusement.

 

The shorter doesn't find it amusing, nor funny. He's starting to feel annoyed by this sudden guest and wants to hurt Jongdae for bringing him.

 

“Oh, hey Soo,” Jongdae casually greets him, as if he didn't do anything wrong.

 

Kyungsoo is forced to watch the couple do butterfly kisses and other vomit-inducing affections before he can get Jongdae's attention again.

 

He grabs Jongdae's arm once they finally pull apart. He drags the elder to the kitchen, uncaring of the bruises he might have made.

 

“Of course, Kyungsoo, I’d _love_ to be dragged to the kitchen,” he notes with sarcasm.

 

“Why is he _here_?” Kyungsoo asks, getting straight to the point.

 

“Well, since you said you were busy, I needed someone to carry my boxes for me. Who else am I going to ask to help me move?”

 

“How about Baekhyun or Junmyeon, or someone we _both_ have met?”

 

Jongdae laughs as if it isn't a big deal, except that it was. Kyungsoo doesn't _like_ strangers coming into his apartment.

 

“Relax, he won't rob you,” the elder teases. “Plus, he knows the guy that wants to move in with you, so it's all good.”

 

“ _What_ guy?”

 

Jongdae sighs exasperatedly before explaining _again_ that he needs someone to takeover his part of lease, especially since Kyungsoo wants to stay longer.

 

“But I'm okay with living alone,” the younger whines pathetically.

 

“Well, the landlord didn't agree to that. Something about breaking contract terms. Anyway, you'll meet him once he moves in. He seems great, _and_ he already has his soulmate, so you won't have to worry about him being yours.”

 

Kyungsoo glares at him for saying that outloud, afraid that Yixing might hear them. In the end, he grudgingly agrees to let Yixing stay for the night, and he's forced to interact with both of them as they decide to watch a movie together.

 

He still wonders though -- _What's with the bunny_?

 

***

 

Luhan feels nervous for the first time in his life. He doesn't know why though. It's supposed to be an ordinary Saturday, along with meeting his oldest friend who had came to visit. He recently found out that Yixing’s soulmate actually lives in this city, and they only managed to meet because Jongdae, Yixing's fiancée, travels a lot for work. Even though their relationship was mostly long distance, it only took them a few months to get engaged and move in together.

 

Luhan doesn't know if their relationship is moving too fast or good enough, but he does envy them sometimes. He wonders if he'd be as happy as them with his soulmate.

 

So today, Yixing is in town to help Jongdae pack his stuff and bring them to Yixing's apartment. It was a compromise since Yixing had his veterinarian practice and he didn't want to let go of his patients. Luckily, Jongdae didn't mind, and in turn, Jongdae gets to name the first pet they'll own together.

 

Luhan promised Yixing he'd help him, but also to check out the apartment, since it'd have a free room. His lease is almost ending and although he can stay longer, he feels that it's too small. He knows that Jongdae's old apartment will have a bigger living space, not to mention it's closer to Dorado Park, so he's excited for this choice.

 

Once he arrives, Yixing greets him in the lobby, and he feels happy to see his friend again. Despite the excitement of meeting his friend, he also feels strangely connected to this building, as if he was meant to live here. He shrugs off the feeling once he steps into the elevator, thinking that it's just initial happiness.

 

He expects to meet Jongdae first when Yixing opens the door, but instead, he sees a short guy with an amused expression. He's about to introduce himself, but the stranger immediately hugs him.

 

“He's _so_ cute,” the stranger exclaims cheerfully. “He doesn't even glare or frown at us. Let's keep him.”

 

Luhan should feel offended that this person is referring him as some type of property, but he does feel giddy knowing that he's too adorable.

 

“Baekhyun, stop harassing my guests or I'm kicking you out,” another voice is heard and it doesn't take long before Luhan sees him.

 

_Ah, so this is Jongdae._

 

“Luhan, right?” Jongdae greets him with a feline smile before shaking his hand. “Sorry about that crazy guy. He's just sad that I won't be around anymore to brighten his life.”

 

“As if,” the guy named Baekhyun scoffs at Jongdae. “If anyone's going to miss you, it’d be Kyungsoo, and _that's_ because you're as weird as he is.”

 

“Well, I've always loved him more than you anyway,” Jongdae counters back, sticking out his tongue.

 

Yixing finally saves him as he guides the elder inside, letting Baekhyun and Jongdae fight it out.

 

“Sorry, that's just their way of missing each other,” Yixing tells him with one of his dimpled smiles.

 

“Yeah, like Yifan and Chanyeol,” Luhan notes with a chuckle.

 

He still can't believe those two giant idiots are soulmates. Talk about unexpected.

 

“Anyway, let me show you Jongdae's old room,” Yixing tells him before guiding him towards one of the doors.

 

“Well, this is the living room,” the younger points to the open area. “Kitchen is over there, and you'll get your own fridge shelf. Bathroom is right behind you, and this is your room.”

 

He opens the door and Luhan almost gape on how _big_ the space is compared to his last apartment.

 

“Pretty nice, right?” Yixing asks him.

 

The elder can only nod, too speechless by seeing how great the place is. Suddenly, he can't wait to finally move in.

 

***

 

Jongdae was kind enough to tell him what kind of roommate Kyungsoo would have by next weekend. Unfortunately, he wasn't kind enough to let them meet first, so that Kyungsoo can overanalyze the person. Jongdae knows him too well, and Kyungsoo kind of hates that. Despite that, he will miss having Jongdae around. The elder was the only person who tolerated _all_ of Kyungsoo's quirks.

 

Saturday comes rather quickly, and Kyungsoo feels _way_ too nervous as he prepares the apartment. He has cleaned, scrubbed, and disinfected the entire place, while having time to spare to calm himself down. It'll be the first time he'll be living with someone other than his friends or family.

 

He randomly wonders if he'd be this nervous when he moves in with his soulmate. He feels horrified for thinking about this possibility that he shakes his head hard, almost failing to notice the knock on his door.

 

He slowly opens the door, and his heart starts to race as he recognizes the familiar face in front of him. He gapes his mouth, unsure of what to say, but Luhan beats him with his own greeting.

 

“Hi! My name is Luhan, I'll be your roommate. Jongdae mentioned that your name is Kyungsoo, right?”

 

Kyungsoo had to close his mouth, gulping nervously before nodding his head.

 

“Cool, so I brought my luggage,” Luhan points to his stuff. “Don't worry about helping me, I got it.”

 

Kyungsoo opens the door wider and watches as Luhan starts to drag and move his stuff into the apartment. He doesn't say a word, even as Luhan starts talking about his life, his job, and even his best friend, who turns out to be Jongdae's fiancée.

 

Kyungsoo doesn't even want to shut the guy up, considering how chatty he is. If it was Baekhyun, he'd have threaten to shove a sock down the elder's throat by now.

 

But the weirdest thing is how Luhan hasn't even mentioned _anything_ about their first meeting. The taller hasn't talked about the park incident or _anything_ about his soulmate. He wonders if Luhan even _remembers_ him. He has so many questions in his mind, and there's an urge to let it all out, but he changes his mind again as he hears Luhan’s next rant.

 

“Anyway, enough about me. I see that your eyes have the same colors. I bet you felt _so_ happy when you met your soulmate. I wish I was the same, mine practically ran away,” Luhan jokes cynically. “But it's okay, I'll find him one day, and I'll make sure to keep him close!”

 

“Oh, yeah,” Kyungsoo can only say.

 

He feels guilty that he was such an ass to Luhan on their first meeting. This guy just wanted to have a happy ending with his soulmate. Yet, when he thinks about admitting _It's me! I'm your soulmate!_ , his throat constricts and he can't find the courage to say it. He doesn't want to face reality.

 

Of course he can see himself having _some_ kind of happiness with Luhan in an imaginary world. But this is real life, where there are risks of falling out of love, and hating each other's guts. What if, after they break down the illusion of happiness, they'll end up seeing all the bad stuff? Kyungsoo can't risk that yet. His life is good enough without love.

 

Before he can think about this some more, Luhan interrupts his thoughts.

 

“So, where should I place my groceries? Better do it before my milk gets bad.”

 

***

 

Kyungsoo thought it was impossible to find someone who'd be similar to him. He was wrong.

 

Despite Luhan’s cheerful personality, his quirks are similar to Kyungsoo's. Like the shorter, Luhan does the dishes right away, since he doesn't like a dirty sink. Then, Kyungsoo notices that Luhan would use coasters, without him needing to nag the elder. It's refreshing to see someone who sees the same views as him.

 

To make things worse, Luhan appreciates the cleanliness and the organized pantries. He doesn't complain whenever Kyungsoo corrects his behaviour, and he _never_ sarcastically replies. It's so great that Kyungsoo wants to cry on how compatible they are.

 

He ends up feeling extremely conflicted and sad as the week ends. He doesn't know what to do anymore. If he tells Luhan now, the elder might get mad and decide that Kyungsoo isn't worth it. But if he doesn't tell Luhan, he’ll feel guilty about keeping the truth hidden.

 

Kyungsoo may not have been one of those soulmate believers, but Luhan is, and the elder deserves the ending he wants.

 

Instead of thinking rationally, he turns towards the three things that would _usually_ make him feel better. He'd either watch episodes of Friends to cheer him up, he'd call Jongdae and explain in a cryptic way, or he'd distract himself by solving his friends’ problems instead.

 

Unfortunately, his Internet is down so he can't watch any episodes, and most of his friends are out of town due to the long weekend. Therefore, he ends up calling Jongdae, hoping that the elder won’t ignore his calls.

 

“Hey! What's up, baby?” Jongdae greets him cheerfully.

 

“Won't your fiancée feel offended by that?” Kyungsoo asks, frowning.

 

“Nah, he's working overtime, and I'm bored. You already know that I would ignore your calls if he was here.”

 

Kyungsoo doesn't need to be reminded that he's extremely replaceable. Plus, for some reason, Kyungsoo believes that he'd be as sappy as Jongdae, so he can't even blame the elder.

 

“Right, anyway,” the younger starts nervously. “You're not busy I guess?”

 

“Nope,” the elder replies. “What do you need help with?”

 

Kyungsoo immediately scoffs and denies that he _ever_ needs help.

 

“Okay, I'll play along. What happened with your friend today? Does D.O. need our help?”

 

The younger cringes at the teasing tone, but his heart is telling him to continue, so he did after taking a deep breath.

 

“Kind of. Remember how he found his soulmate a few days ago and lost track of him?”

 

“Yep, and also how he _lied_ to all of his friends, making them think that his soulmate has died.”

 

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at Jongdae's lack of tact.

 

“Anyway, D.O. kind of saw him again, and he doesn't know what he should do? I mean, he _knows_ that he should tell his soulmate who he is, but he's kind of scared,” he finally admits nervously.

 

There's a moment of silence that makes Kyungsoo even more anxious. He wonders what Jongdae is thinking, and he doesn't have to wait long before the elder finally replies.

 

“I love you, but you're sometimes a bigger idiot than Baekhyun,” Jongdae finally tells him.

 

Kyungsoo makes an offended noise before letting Jongdae continue.

 

“You’re just trying to prevent the inevitable at this point. The chances of your soulmate becoming your roommate was pretty low, and yet, the universe found a way to make it happen. I could have been as stubborn as you, and refused to acknowledge Yixing at our first meeting, but then I'd meet him again in the Good Health Conference. So you can keep finding ways to avoid telling the truth, but he'll end up knowing one day, and that's the worse thing that can happen. At least, right now, you've only known each other for a few days, so he wouldn't be angry at you if you told the truth.”

 

Jongdae is right, of course. If he wasn't, Kyungsoo wouldn't have wasted his minutes on calling the guy. Yet, even when _everything_ in his mind is telling him to just tell the truth, he's still too scared to actually do it. He figures that he has time. He'll do it tomorrow, maybe.

 

_But wait… How did Jongdae know that his soulmate was Luhan?_

 

“How did you know that it’s Luhan?” Kyungsoo asks suspiciously. “I didn’t say his name.”

 

“Oh, um…” Jongdae trails off. “Look at the time! I better let you sleep! Good night.”

 

Kyungsoo glares at his phone, feeling disgruntled that Jongdae has somehow found a spy. He’ll get the truth out of him, one of these days.

 

***

 

Luhan is starting to get comfortable in his new place. His roommate, Kyungsoo, despite the silent personality, is a _great_ roommate. The younger shares the same aspect of cleanliness, and he doesn't complain when Luhan organizes the fridge in a certain way. They're similar in many ways, but have enough differences to keep them a good match.

 

They start to develop a routine between themselves, especially in the early mornings. Luhan prefers to take an hour to prepare and hogs the bathroom as if it's his personal one. By now, Luhan learns to exit the bathroom by 7 and return to it by 7:15, which is after Kyungsoo finishes his turn.

 

Then, they have breakfast together, sometimes eating the same thing, before heading for work their separate ways.

 

Luhan prefers the morning than the evenings lately. Kyungsoo is less nicer in the morning, always grunting and pushing the elder away.

 

Luhan finds the act to be adorable, but most of  all, he makes it his challenge to make the younger laugh before he goes to work.

 

Usually he does stupid impersonations, or the occasional jokes. Some days, it doesn't work, and Kyungsoo would glare at him before punching his arm. Other days, there's a small smile, and Luhan would feel so damn happy that the rest of his day just seems brighter.

 

He finds it weird at times that he feels this type of happiness. He learns from many stories that he'd feel this kind of giddiness with his soulmate. Yet, he finds himself wondering why it'd happen with Kyungsoo.

 

He already knows from a nearby neighbor that Kyungsoo’s soulmate has died. Luhan finds it sad that the younger would never be able to experience love in that way again.

 

Sure, there was an experimental procedure that'd break the bond between soulmates, giving widowers some kind of chance. Luhan doubts that Kyungsoo would try that. The younger seems to be the kind of person that wouldn't move on.

 

That's why Luhan always wants to give some happiness towards Kyungsoo. He figures that since his own soulmate isn't found yet, he might as well practice on Kyungsoo.

 

He still goes to the Dorado Park though, this time every two weeks. He convinces himself that weekly is too much, and plus, Saturday is Kyungsoo's _famous_ baking day. He wouldn't want to miss that. Not to mention, he _loves_ licking the bowl in the end.

 

Cookies day actually started off as a dare, where Kyungsoo had to bake 36 delicious cookies in one day. From then on, his friends would come over every weekend _just_ for the cookies. Luhan would have judged them, but he’s also kind of addicted to this sugar rush.

 

***

 

Kyungsoo _meant_ to tell Luhan the next day. He also meant to tell the elder two months after they moved in. It shouldn't be hard to just say the three simple words: _I'm your soulmate_. Instead, Kyungsoo had to overanalyze it, to the point where even his brain is bored of solving the problem.

 

He figures it's too late by now, plus they're both in a good place now. Luhan has settled in comfortably, and they have built a routine for daily life and weekends. They even hang out almost every weekend either for movies or cookies.

 

Sure, Kyungsoo might feel that guilt returning whenever he sees Luhan leaving for the park, and coming back with a sad smile, but it only takes an awesome chocolate chip cookies to get Luhan smiling again. So technically, everything will be fine.

 

One day, Luhan will give up on that park, and Kyungsoo will have manipulated Luhan into staying with him forever. It's a foolproof plan, if he thinks about it.

 

It was working well until Luhan decides to ruin his plan.

 

“What do you _mean_ that they're visiting us?” Kyungsoo asks the elder with a panic tone.

 

“Yixing said that they need our help on planning the wedding, so I said sure. They're just going to pick us up and we'll head to the cake place.”

 

“But,” Kyungsoo says nervously. “I'm horrible with cake testing. You should go. You should go on my behalf.”

 

Luhan looks at him weirdly, with one of those curious expressions. Kyungsoo has memorized all of his expressions by now, and sometimes he gets nervous thinking that Luhan will figure out the truth on his own.

 

“What's wrong? Do you not like Jongdae anymore?”

 

“I do,” Kyungsoo tries to say convincingly. “It's just that…”

 

 _He will find out that I've been lying to him and that I haven't told my roommate the truth since three months ago --_ the younger finishes the sentence in his head.

 

Luhan still looks confused as he tries to understand Kyungsoo's turmoil.

 

“It's fine actually,” the younger continues with a small smile. “I guess I'm just nervous. It's been a long time since I've seen Jongdae in person.”

 

“Ah, true,” Luhan notes. “Well, it'll give us time to catch up, and we can come back here for cookies afterwards.”

 

“You're like addicted to it,” Kyungsoo glares at Luhan, in a teasing manner. “Don't you need to lose that gut for the tuxedo fitting?”

 

“It’s _hard,_ okay?! Those cookies keep calling for me, and it's your fault, you know. For always making them and never finishing the batch.”

 

“It's supposed to last through the week. Heck, it could even last for two weeks if we don't eat it daily.”

 

“Yeah, well, I don't want them to feel neglected, so I'm _sorry_ if I care about their feelings more than you,” Luhan replies as if putting an end this argument. He grabs his coat and scarf before storming out in the manliest way possible.

 

Kyungsoo follows after him, almost rushing since the taller can walk faster. He's about to grab Luhan's arm so he can apologize for the insensitive comment, when he sees a familiar car approaching the sidewalk.

 

Yixing and Jongdae arrives on time, and they both look as happy as before.

 

“Hey, baby,” Jongdae greets Kyungsoo with a wink. He turns around to give Yixing's a quick peck before climbing out of the car gracefully.

 

“Change of plans,” Jongdae tells them. “Yixing will choose the cake while Kyungsoo and I decide on the groomsmen suits. Have fun though, but come home sober.”

 

Kyungsoo widens his eyes in shock, already feeling nervous about being alone with Jongdae and his judgmental stares.

 

“That's no fun at all,” Luhan notes with a grin before climbing into the car, in the same seat that Jongdae vacated. “But don't worry, I'll bring him back fat.”

 

“Good man!” Jongdae tells him. “See you in a few hours.” He blows a kiss to Yixing, who catches it and pushes it into his heart.

 

Luhan rolls his eyes at the display, and Kyungsoo would have done the same thing if Jongdae wasn't paying attention to him.

 

As soon as the car leaves, Jongdae hugs Kyungsoo tight, making the younger freeze from the unexpected gesture.

 

“Let's go upstairs,” the elder tells him.

 

***

 

As soon as they arrive in the apartment, Jongdae heads for the couch and turns on the TV, changing it to his favorite channel.

 

Kyungsoo stares at him in disbelief, because he thought that Jongdae was here to yell at him.

 

“Yixing won't let me watch this anymore. He said that I'd start impersonating Tyra, and give him too much sass,” the elder notes sadly. “You're the only one who understands me.”

 

“He's not wrong though,” the younger replies, despite feeling nervous.

 

He keeps waiting for Jongdae to yell at him or even throw something at him for being a wuss.

 

“Anyway, can I have your cookies? They always make feel better,” Jongdae quickly pouts before turning his attention back to the television.

 

Kyungsoo hurriedly goes to the kitchen, thinking that if Jongdae remains happy, they won’t discuss about other things. He places several cookies onto a plate and brings it back to the living room, bending down to give Jongdae the plate.

 

He watches from the side as Jongdae devours a few cookies. The elder isn’t even giving him any attention. Kyungsoo doesn't know what's worse — the fact that Jongdae won't yell at him or that the elder might yell at him later.

 

Once the show finally ends, Jongdae tells him to sit down, and Kyungsoo carefully chooses a seat that’s the farthest from Jongdae. The younger watches as the elder stands up to take some papers and a pen.

 

“What are you doing?” Kyungsoo asks.

 

“We might as well get started on that groomsmen suits,” Jongdae easily explains. “I was thinking white ties, and dark purple vests, because it's a summer wedding. Then Yixing might want purple flowers on their pockets. Do you think that'd work?”

 

“Um,” Kyungsoo mutters, confused of the sudden topic. “I guess, but why purple?”

 

“He's like obsessed with purple, and I promised him that for the groom side, he can have that color theme. Now, I was thinking about choosing lavender for the flower. It has a nice meaning: devotion.”

 

“Yeah, but that's not very meaningful. I mean there are better flowers that'd give you great meanings. For example, lilac means first love, and we both know that Yixing was your first love.”

 

“Eh,” the elder shrugs. “But lavender feels more _safe_ , and a lot of people know the flower already. It's better than showing Yixing a new flower and explaining what it is.”

 

Kyungsoo looks at him in confusion before arguing again about how silly it is to choose lavender.

 

“What are you talking about? It's fine to have a completely new flower at your wedding. You shouldn't resort to what others would think, or even Yixing. If it was _my_ wedding, I'd choose heliotrope. It has the perfect meaning: eternal love. It fits perfectly into the idea that soulmates are forever. Wouldn't you rather have that instead of just telling them you're both devoted to each other?”

 

“I guess. I'm just scared about what Yixing would say when I tell him. What if he thinks that the idea is stupid or corny? I don't want him to say no.”

 

“I doubt that he would. You're already living together, and you have both seen each other’s flaws. By now, he'd understand why you chose this flower.”

 

“Hmm, you’re right,” Jongdae tells him before placing a hand on his shoulder as if for comfort. “You should tell Luhan the truth then.”

 

“Huh?” Kyungsoo stares back at him in shock, before realizing the trick. “Wait, this is _not_ the same thing as your flower thing..”

 

“ _Of course_ it’s the same thing. You’re thinking about staying friends with Luhan, which is me choosing lavender, but we _all_ know that telling Luhan is the better choice, ergo heliotrope. We can waste a few more hours arguing about this, _or_ you can just admit that I’m right and confess to the guy!”

 

Kyungsoo crosses his arms in defense, feeling the urge to whine and complain that everyone is against him.

 

“Look, Luhan has already accepted you as you are, so I don’t see the issue,” Jongdae says as his final point. “It’ll be okay, trust me. He's been waiting for you. Don’t make him wait longer.”

 

Kyungsoo stays silent, pretending to be angry about this. Unfortunately, his mind is already agreeing with Jongdae, and he doesn’t feel upset about it. He feels ready now.

 

***

 

The next Saturday is supposed to be another visit to Dorado Park. Kyungsoo has always dreaded seeing Luhan’s grim smile by the end of the day. He promises himself that today wouldn’t end that way. He has run out of excuses, and he doesn’t have the sympathy of his friends anymore. Even Baekhyun has made it clear that he is going to ignore his calls until Kyungsoo has confessed.

 

So the younger decides to relent, and he makes a plan for the big day. He doesn’t like to do things half assed, and as much as this planning is causing him more anxiety, he still wants it to go perfectly.

 

At first he thought about stopping Luhan before he leaves and confessing inside the apartment, but then he realizes how _terrifying_ it is to confess privately. Then he thinks about confessing publicly, and that idea seems worse. Therefore, he ends up choosing the middle option — in the park, where they first met.

 

He still remembers the exact location as if it was yesterday. It was near the north entrance, closer to the apartment building, and luckily, this entrance isn’t as popular as the other two. He walks slowly towards the park, as if every minute delayed will give him a better chance at being loved. He shouldn’t believe something as silly as this, but he’s _really_ hoping that this day will end well.

 

He spots Luhan immediately, as if his eyes are trained to find the elder. Luhan isn’t looking towards anyone. In fact, his eyes are closed, and his head is leaning back against the bench, as if he’s poised to take a nap. Kyungsoo is surprised to see this. He had always imagine Luhan to be pacing back and forth, or even staring at everyone who passes by. He doesn't know why the elder would be in that position.

 

As he stops near Luhan, new questions pop up in his head, and a part of him wants to run away again, to go back to the safety line. He doesn’t listen to it this time as he takes another deep breath, one that seems to catch Luhan’s attention.

 

He stares nervously as Luhan opens his eyes, and looks at him in surprise. The elder sends him a smile before cocking his head in confusion.

 

“How did you know that I sit here?”

 

Kyungsoo didn’t prepare an answer for that question. He doesn’t know how to answer that question without giving the full truth. He wasn’t expecting to say the truth right away.

 

“Um,” the younger stutters. “I…”

 

A worried expression forms in the elder’s face, and Kyungsoo feels like an idiot for not preparing better.

 

The younger stares helplessly as Luhan slowly stands up, and he immediately assumes that the elder would walk away from him. Instead, Luhan steps closer, and he opens his arms before engulfing the younger in a hug.

 

Kyungsoo freezes as his senses are overwhelmed by Luhan’s cologne, and the citrus detergent that he’d always use.

 

“Thanks for coming. I needed this,” the elder mutters.

 

His heart aches at the thought of Luhan suffering another misguided rejection. He decides that this charade is enough, and he blocks out the fear in his mind. He pushes Luhan away gently, and he mumbles to the elder to sit down.

 

He doesn’t dare to look at Luhan as he says the next few words.

 

“I haven’t been telling you the truth,” he starts off. “My soulmate didn’t die.”

 

He plays with his fingers before he starts again.

 

“My parents were soulmates, but they weren’t the perfect match. Ever since their divorce, I didn’t want to believe in soulmates anymore. So I decided to wear green eye contacts, and lied about my soulmate. I selfishly decided that I didn’t want a soulmate, and that was my way of ignoring my fate.”

 

“Oh,”  Luhan says in surprise, unsure of how to react.

 

“Then, a few months ago, I accidentally met my soulmate in this same park,” the younger chuckles nervously. “I wasn't ready for that.”

 

“I don't think anyone is really ready for the first meeting,” Luhan tries to remedy. “It's still good that you've finally met him.”

 

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo breathes out. “It would've been a good thing, except he didn’t see that my eyes had changed. I was wearing the contact lenses, so I was the only one who knew what had happened, and he never knew.”

 

“So you lost him?” the elder surmises. “Wow, it's like what happened to me.”

 

“Kind of,” the younger admits. “We did meet again a few weeks later.”

 

Luhan nods, despite looking a little dejected after hearing everything. Kyungsoo doesn’t dare to try to figure out the elder’s expressions, knowing that he’d feel even more nervous.

 

“It’s kind of funny. I spent most of my life running away from my fate, thinking I can escape the inevitable. But in the end, I _wanted_ the inevitable, even after denying it so many times. I just…” Kyungsoo looks up shyly from the ground. “I don’t want to give you up.”

 

“Huh?!” Luhan asks, eyes wide in confusion, as if he had missed something crucial.

 

“I’m your soulmate.”

 

Luhan stares at the younger in shock. He thinks that this is a joke that the younger is playing on him, but since _when_ does Kyungsoo ever joke about something? Or maybe this is some kind of a cruel punishment because Luhan broke one of the plates the other day.

 

“I’m sorry for making things complicated and letting you go to this park every weekend, even when I _knew_ the truth. When I first met you, I was scared  and I didn't want to admit how much I _wanted_ you. By the time I realized how stupid I was, it was weeks after our first meeting and I didn't know how to tell you anymore.”

 

Kyungsoo pauses to give Luhan a chance to reply. Except the elder doesn’t know what to say. It’s a lot of information to process.

 

“Are you mad?” the younger finally asks. “It’s okay if you want to move out. I won’t stop you…”

 

Luhan watches as Kyungsoo looks down to his feet, his face taking on the saddest expression ever. It’s like taking a toddler’s favorite toy away.

 

Despite everything that has happened, he doesn't like seeing Kyungsoo sad, _ever_. So he immediately stands up and grabs Kyungsoo’s hands, thinking that the physical contact will make Kyungsoo less sad.

 

“Don’t cry,” he tells him. “Let’s go home, okay? I just need time to process everything.”

 

Kyungsoo nods, and he lets Luhan wrap an arm around him, feeling the warmth of the elder’s body. He wonders if this will be the last time that the elder will touch him.

 

***

 

When they get home, Luhan helps take off Kyungsoo's coat, before neatly putting it in inside the closet. Then he goes straight to the kitchen.

 

The younger remains standing near the door, afraid that if he moves, then Luhan might suddenly leave. He watches the elder with careful eyes, swallowing down the lump in his throat, and reminding himself not to cry.

 

When the elder returns, Kyungsoo sees a plate of cookies in Luhan’s right hand, and a large glass of milk in his left hand. The younger is beginning to wonder if Luhan is dealing with this in his own weird way.

 

“Come eat with me,” Luhan requests, as if it's a normal day. “These cookies always make me feel better.”

 

Kyungsoo only relents once he sees Luhan giving him a sad pout. He takes off his shoes and slowly walks to the living room area.

 

“What's your favorite episode of Friends?” the elder randomly asks.

 

“Um, the Thanksgiving one,” the younger answers in a confused tone.

 

“Since you won't say which, we're watching all of them then.”

 

The younger raises his eyebrows but agrees anyway as the episode starts to play in Netflix.

 

Kyungsoo rarely pays attention to his surroundings when he watches Friends. For him, this show requires his full attention, and he wouldn't leave his spot, even if his friend was bleeding out. Luhan knew to some extent that Kyungsoo is _crazy_ about this show, but he never thought that the younger would slap his hand away whenever he tries to tickle him.

 

He knows that Kyungsoo is waiting for a reply, and if he was honest with himself, he already has the answer. But before he can say it, he wanted to watch Kyungsoo, in a way that he couldn't before, as his soulmate.

 

He put on Friends so that he can distract the younger. He wanted to stare at him, absorbing everything that makes Kyungsoo, well, Kyungsoo. Like the light freckles near the ear, or the shy laughter that he'd hear. He even likes the cute way that Kyungsoo would squeeze his pillow whenever there's a cheesy scene. Luhan should have known from the beginning. That he was already falling for his roommate.

 

He finally wants to say his reply, so he pauses the episode as it was about to end.

 

“Hey! I was…” Kyungsoo starts to argue before he notices the serious expression in Luhan’s face. “What?” he ends up saying meekly.

 

Luhan scoots over as he sits closer to the younger. He analyzes the nervousness in the younger's expression before saying the one thing in his mind.

 

“I’m glad that it's you,” the elder admits before grabbing the younger's hand. “I’m _really_ glad it's you.”

 

Kyungsoo looks away in embarrassment, his cheeks are burning and he huffs in annoyance. He’s about to tell the elder to shut up, but then he feels something warm on his cheek. He realizes that Luhan has kissed his cheek.

 

“You look so cute when you're embarrassed,” the elder teases.

 

Kyungsoo pulls his hand away in retaliation, and he feels the urge to punch Luhan for being annoying. Unfortunately, the elder has learned to escape quickly.

 

He supposes he should forgive him, after everything.


End file.
